Character Analyses for Othello

Othellos character is first introduced ambiguously through racial epithets as he is referred to as the
Moor and thick-lips. Furthermore, derogatory animalistic imagery of an old black ram and a
Barbary horse strip away his individuality and accentuate his different physical and ethnic
background. Despite the negative initial references to Othello, he is characterised as noble and
refined as he suggests men should keep up their bright swords. However, his internalised fear of
being considered other in Venetian society is channelled through his increasing jealousy. He
rationalises Desdemonas apparent betrayal by condemning all women and reducing his opinion of
them to strumpets with insatiable appetites, a view reflective of the patriarchal Jacobean era.
Iago is the deceptive ancient of Othello who manipulates people to further his own ends through
using their emotions against them, particularly jealousy. He is the instigator of most of the issues
that arise during the play, from causing Othello's doubt in Desdemona's faithfulness to convincing
Cassio to enlist Desdemona's help in recovering his position. During the play, he is ironically said by
various characters to be "honest", "loyal", "faithful" and "true", demonstrating to the audience the
depth of Iago's duplicitous nature. This is done in contrast to Othello's initial "noble", "valiant" and
"brave" nature, which Iago slowly corrupts through jealousy and suspicion, an emotion Iago already
experiences towards Othello having supposedly "'twixt [his] sheets" and performed lewd acts with
his wife. Similarly, Iago "[fears] Cassio with [his] night cap too", displaying his inherent ignobility
through his suspicious, baseless thoughts. Iago, through his unjustified actions, is what "causes all
the destruction in the play", as expressed by David Suchet (1988), as he "represents Jealousy, is
Jealousy" and all that comes with it. Emilia further asserts the baselessness is a requirement of
jealousy, that people are "jealous for they're jealous" and not for a good reason. This is contrasted
with Othello's need for verification -- "be sure to prove my love a whore" -- during the early stages of
his corruption.
Desdemona is the wife of Othello, who at first loves her unquestioningly, but later begins to despise
her as he feels increasingly insecure and doubtful of her faithfulness as he takes Iagos manipulative
advice. She is one of the few characters in the play who is completely blameless and is simply a
victim of circumstance. Throughout the play, she is repeatedly characterised by Cassio as divine,
virtuous and a most fresh and delicate creature, embodying how women were valued for their
physicality in the patriarchal society of Shakespeares time. Furthermore, in this male-dominated
society, men often thought of women as their possessions, with women owing duty to both their
fathers and their husbands, exemplified in how Desdemona owes a divided duty to both her father
and her husband. While it is plain to see that Desdemona is loyal and faithful to him, Othello himself
begins to question whether this is true, with Iago working him up into a jealousy so strong that
judgement cannot cure as he plans in his soliloquy. His change in attitude toward Desdemona, now
that he suspects that she has been unfaithful to him with Cassio, is illustrated when he compares her
face, that was as fresh as Dians visage to being no begrimed and black as mine own face, the
comparison of similes effectively demonstrating her decline in value. Additionally, this shows
Othellos internalisation of the negativity associated with being black, a racial prejudice prevalent
in the Jacobean Era when black was the colour of degeneracy and damnation, according to ElliotButler Evans (1997).